Global production of molybdenum fell to 128.8 million pounds in the first quarter of 2015, down 13 percent from 148.1 million pounds in the previous quarter, and 5 percent lower compared with the same period in 2014, figures released today by the International Molybdenum Association (IMOA) show.
Global use of molybdenum in the first quarter of 2015 also fell slightly to 132.7 million pounds, down 3 percent from 136.2 million pounds in the previous quarter and 5 percent lower than the same quarter in 2014.
Production in North America fell from 42.7 million pounds in the last quarter of 2014 to 37.8 million pounds in the first quarter of 2015, a decrease of 12 percent. Production in South America was down from 39.9 million pounds in the last quarter of 2014 to 34.2 million pounds in the first quarter of 2015. Production in other countries increased to 10.5 million pounds.
Usage in the USA also fell by 7 percent to 14.1 million pounds compared with 15.2 in the previous quarter, while use in Japan fell from 14 million pounds in the last quarter of 2014 to 13.3 million pounds in first quarter of 2015. Usage in the CIS countries decreased by 3 percent to 5.7 million pounds, while usage in other countries fell by 1percent to 17.4 million pounds.